З дефініції цих слів ми бачимо, що вони є антонімами, так частка NOT є елементом утворення антонімів.
Black - white
The baby’s black and nothing can make it white.
Black – of the very darkest colour; the opposite to white.
White – of the very palest colour, like fresh snow or milk.
Значення даних слів містять протилежні семи dark і pale, тому дані слова будуть антонімами.
Cold – warm
Don’t keep him too warm ma’am. But be careful that you don’t let him be too cold.
Cold – of a low or lower than usual temperature.
Warm – of or at a fairly high temperature.
Значення даних слів містять протилежні семи low і high, тому дані слова є антонімами.
Dead - alive
We like letters to mothers, dead or alive.
Dead – no longer live.
Alive – living, not dead
У дефініції слова alive утримується негативна частка NOT, що є елементом утворення антонімів, тому дані слова будуть антонімами.
Distant – near
It may be near, it may be distant; while the road lasts nothing turns me.
Distant – far away in space or time.
Near – within a short distance of space or time.
Значення даних слів містять протилежні семи far away і short, тому дані слова є антонімами.
Dry – wet
It is difficult enough to fix a tent in dry weather; in wet the task become herculean.
Dry – not wet, damp or sticky.
Wet – covered or soaked with liquid, esp water.
У значенні слова dry утримується негативна частка NOT, що є елементом утворення антонімів, тому дані слова будуть антонімами.
False – true
Listening to her, i was beyond knowing whether her insight was true or false.
False – wrong, not correct.
True – rightly called, genuine or sincere.
Значення цих слів містять протилежні семи wrong і right, тому дані слова є антонімами.
Beautiful – ugly
Do you know what it is to be ugly all your life and inside to feel that you are beautiful.
Beautiful – having beauty; giving pleasure to the senses or the mind.
Ugly – unpleasant, esp to look at.
У даному випадку слова pleasure і unpleasant є однокореневими. Слово unpleasant відбулося від слова pleasant + un, а un є негативним префіксом, тому слова ugly і beautiful будуть антонімами.
Female – male
This, of course, to all individuals, of course male and female.
Female – of the sex that can give birth to children.
Male – of the sex that cannot give birth to children.
У значенні слова male утримується негативна частка NOT, що є елементом утворення антонімів, тому дані слова є антонімічної парою.
Ill – well
“I hope Phuong’s well,” he said. “I have never known her ill.”
Ill – in an unkind or critical way.
Well – in a kind way.
У даному випадку ill є антонімом слову well. Значення слова ill утримується слово unkind, що відбулося від kind+un, де un є негативним префіксом, що утворить антоніми.
Poor – rich
It is only that he has better means of having it than many others, because he is rich, and many others are poor.
Poor – having very little money with which to buy one’s basic needs.
Rich – having a lot of money or property; wealthy.
Дефініції цих слів містять протилежні семи little і a lot, тому дані слова є антонімами.
На підставі вищенаведених прикладів можна зробити висновок, що слова є протилежними, тобто антонімами, якщо їхнього значення містять протилежні семи, негативну частку NOT або негативні префікси un-; in-(il-; im-; ir-;) dis-; суфікс –less. Далі приведені приклади утримують антонімічні пари.
Defence - offence
Best defence is offence.
Today – yesterday
The superstition of today is the science of yesterday.
Good - bad
What’s good about not being bad?
Alike – different
It was unbelievable two people could look so much alike and be so completely and utterly different.
Difficult – easy
They were not difficult and for a girl of Roberta’s natural grace and zest, easy.
Alike – different
How is it that two people, just a brother and sister, can be so alike and so different?
Despair – hope
Sometimes i hope, my dear, and sometimes i don’t quite despair, but nearly.
Dimish – increase
The softness of Dinny’s feelings dimished the watchfulness increased.
Drunk – sober
“You are very drunk,” Gwen said. “Sober as a judge,” he said.
Early – late
At first it was too early for the boy to be received into the proper refuge and at last it was too late.
Evil – good
And so the factory came to be regarded as a good thing, not an evil.
Failure – success
Naturally i went to evert a conflict in with success would damage me and failure disable me.
Fast – loose
Surely Fleur would see in the long run that he couldn’t play fast and loose.
Fear – hope
A strange conflict of hopes and fears raged within Dinny.
Above – below
One is too far below me ( i mean in her own opinion ), and the other is too high above me.
Absence – presence
To him the presence or absence of his wife’s sister was a matter of indifference.
Absolute – relative
His vitality was absolute, not relative.
I cannot accept this offer, Lord Caversham, i have made up my mind to decline it.
Act – word
A brawl or boil is a rude quarrel by word or act or both.
Active – passive
This was no passive belief, but an active weapon which they flashed more convenient places of business.
Dead – alive
“Speak” he cried, “and tell us whether you are alive or dead…”
Answer – ask
It is always worth while asking a question, though it is not always worth answering one.
Attack – defence
Dyke had stood between cab and fender through out all the duel, exposed, reckless, thinking only of attack and not of defence.
Back – forward
He distinguished the choice open to him of forward or back, and he selected forward.
But man or beast, it will be wise to stay here a minute and let get by and out of the way.
Romance should never begin with sentiment. It should begin with science and end with a settlement.
Clever – foolish
You don’t mean to say that this charming, clever young lady has been so foolish as to accept you?
Begin – finish
Office affairs are easy to begin and difficult to finish, particularly in a small town.
Cold – hot
First you are hot, then you are cold, and the best you have got is the fact you are old.
Complicated – simple